A desert wilderness once home to bears, leopards and fugitives. The turquoise Dead Sea, shimmering in white light. Vineyards, orchards and olive groves on fertile hills. Hidden caves guarding the secrets of the ten tribes of Israel.

The Kingdom of Judah beckons the brave to hear its tales. The Judean Desert is unique with its powerful, barren beauty of stream beds created by winter rains, steep cliffs, cisterns and hidden caves, and amazing wildlife. Lovers of history and horseback riding alike will be thrilled by the challenge of these horseback riding vacation. You will explore the land of the Tribe of Judah, delving deep into the bloody history of the Israelites. These tours tell the story of the Essenes and the end of the revolt against the Romans in 70 AD. Living a communal life devoted to poverty, purity, freedom, and justice, the Essenes had their chief residence along the shores of the Dead Sea. In fact, some believe Jesus and John the Baptist were members of this elusive community. This tour takes you on a thrilling ride through the mysterious history and breathtaking beauty of the Judean Desert.

For the young at heart and the serious adventurer, this special trip lives the wild Israeli desert – exploring the wilderness during the day and camping under the starry skies at night. This trip includes a tour of Qumran and a visit to a spa on the shores of the Dead Sea as a finale.

Camping Ride with vehicle support Progressive Ride (no camping) Short Getaway Suitable for riders over 210 lbs Ride with Western Tack

Itinerary for
Judean Desert to the Dead Sea Ride

Sample itinerary - 7 days
Day 1 Arrival in early evening at Moshav Sharona in the lower Galilee,After introductions and explanations followed by dinner, you will enjoy an enlightening lecture on the history of Israel. We will sleep in a cozy country lodge located on the Moshav.
Day 2 At the morning we will meet our horses at our riding center, we will match riders to horses, and we will go out for 2-3 hour of introduction ride at Sirin Highest. When we finish the ride, we immediately start our Journey toward Judea Desert. We will travel throw the southern Jordan Valley, we will visit the beautifully monastery of Dear Hagala near Jericho. Afternoon we will arrive to our destination at the northern part of the Dead Sea. The dinner will be held at oriental restaurant at the city of Jericho. We will spend the night at Kibbutz country lodge at this area.
Day 3 Waking at sunrise, we will set out at 6:30 am by car to where our horses will be waiting for us in Adumim Plains near Jerusalem. After a picnic breakfast in the desert, we will ride towards Mt. Muntar for a breathtaking view of the area. Riding south through Hurknia Valley, we will ride on dried stream beds and learn to find natural water cisterns in the desert. Towards evening we will arrive at our campground near Dargoat Stream. Length of tour – 29 km/ 6.2 miles
Day 4 Today we will pack our horses with our tents, food and camping equipment and set out into the desert expanse. Crossing Dargoat Stream, we will ride south through the desert heights (in the winter if we are lucky we might see a desert flood). In the afternoon, we will head out towards Ein Gedi – one of the most ancient settlements in the world which is based on desert agriculture. Ein Gedi is the biggest and most important natural oasis in Israel. Possessing a tremendous amount of water, the springs of this area sustain and affect the entire Judean Desert. Desert hares, birds, ibexes and leopards live around this essential water source. Archeological finds have also recorded the existence of people living here for thousands of years. We will see the oasis from above and then ride to the spot where we will spend the night. Dinner will be Bedouin pita (patir) – an authentic meal similar to what has been eaten for the last 2,500 years by caravan leaders and desert inhabitants. Length of tour – 31 km/ 19 miles
Day 5 Today will be a truly special day filled with the exhilaration of riding in the desert and learning about the fascinating history of the ancient peoples who once lived there. We will ride up the Essene mountainside and though channels of the Hever, Mishmar and Tseelim Streams to explore the caves where the Essenes lived. To these caves Jews and the first Christians fled after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. These caves are also famous for the rare archeological findings discovered within testifying to the Bar Kochva revolt (132-135 AD). We will spend the night near Tseelim Stream.
Length of tour – 31 km/ 19 milesDay 6 Another day of exhilarating desert riding ahead of us. After breakfast, we will pass through the extensive plains of the Kanaim Valley. Then we will head east riding above Tselim Stream until we again reach cliffs overlooking the Dead Sea. Along an old mule path, into the Dead Sea Valley, we will actually start our way down toward the lowest lake on earth the Dead Sea. At the dead sea we will say good bay to our horses and load them to the track.
We will drive to a beach on the banks of the Dead Sea. As a treat after many days of hard riding, we will cover ourselves in the black mud of the Dead Sea and go for a dip in its healing waters. We will visit the archeological site of Qumran (the place of the Dead Sea scrolls) from there we will drive to Jerusalem and we will spend the night at Abraham Hostel, a Special hostel for independence traveler.
We will celebrate the Tour end at a nice restaurant in Jerusalem.
Length of tour – 17.5 km/11 miles

Day 7 At this day you will have the freedom to explore Jerusalem, at independence way, the hostel will give you lot of information regards tours option at the City.
You will have the opportunity to participant in one of the guided tours that the hostel runs in the city.

We reserve the right to change the itineraries as necessary to accommodate weather conditions or additional unforeseen events.

Horses...We use only well trained horses
accustomed to trail riding in our equestrian vacations. Our horses are a
mixture of Quarter horses and local (Arabian) horses and trained in
Western riding. They are well groomed, in great shape and perfectly
suited for horseback vacations. We match you with a horse and tack
according to the information you provide when signing up for a riding
holiday. For riders with greater riding proficiency, we can provide a
more spirited horse; for less experienced riders, we pair horses that
are easily handled. Also, upon request, pure Arabians from our breeding
program, Sirin Arabians, can be provided.

Tack...Quality Western tack for comfort and ease. In
general, we use Western tack made in the USA. In our experience with
trail riding vacations, riders who are used to English tack quickly
adapt to riding Western style. Nevertheless, we can arrange for English
tack if given notice ahead of time. If you would prefer to use your own
tack, this is possible only if it fits the horse we have assigned you.
You are welcome to bring your own tack but we cannot guarantee you will
be able to use it.

Riding Level...The overall success of a
horseback holiday depends on all riders having the skills to safely
perform at the pace expected. Riders with insufficient skills are a
danger to themselves and to others. As a result, it is crucial that you
be experienced and fit enough to ride 30-40 km (18-25 miles) a day. On
our part, we make every effort to clearly explain to people inquiring
into our horseback riding vacation packages the riding difficulty of
each tour. These horseback vacations are designed for riders with a good intermediate riding skills. During the trips we walk, trot and canter.

Safety...Safety
is of utmost importance on all our horseback vacations.Your safety
is always a top priority. Our staff is comprised of trained
professionals who are certified trail riding guides. We know the land
and the trails, having chosen them for their suitability for these types
of riding holidays. Also, before every trip, our guides make a run
through to ensure the trails are safe. We use only quality, highly
trained horses. We know each of our horses well and are able to expertly
match horse and rider.It can get very hot in Israel, especially in
the summer and in the desert. We have strict rules regarding weather
conditions, including never riding in temperatures over 90°F (32°C). In
addition, there is always a first aid kit.Security...Despite
what appears in the media, Israel is generally a safe and easy country
to travel in. Both Jordan and Egypt are committed to peace, and on-going
talks with Syria have made this area relatively stable and quite
favorable to tourism. All of our equestrian vacations are conducted in
secure areas of Israel with guides well versed in handling security
situations.

Climate for
Judean Desert to the Dead Sea Ride

With a
Mediterranean climate, Israel enjoys hot, rainless summers and
relatively short, but rainy winters. Summers are humid along the
Mediterranean coast but dry in the central highlands and in the Negev
Desert. It does not rain from June through September, with July and
August being the hottest months at 22-33°C (72-91°F) on average across
the country. More than 90% of the rainfall occurs between November
and March, with January being the coldest month with temperatures
ranging from 6-15°C (43 to 59°F).

Accommodations for
Judean Desert to the Dead Sea Ride

Accommodations
Accommodations will be 2 night in a country lodge, 3 nights in camping, 1 night at hostel in Jerusalem. Amenities always include hot showers and running toilets.

Food & Beverage
Riding makes you hungry. Our staff will prepare healthy, fresh, filling meals so no one ever rides on an empty stomach. Our tours are not kosher. However, no pork is served on any of our trips. We can accommodate vegetarians and other special dietary (including kosher) requests if given prior notice. As for drinks, we know there is nothing more satisfying than a cold beer after a long ride. Some of our meals, usually dinner, include beer, wine or liquor. These drinks are free of charge. When dining in Arab restaurants, no alcoholic beverages are allowed.

Horses...We use only well trained horses
accustomed to trail riding in our equestrian vacations. Our horses are a
mixture of Quarter horses and local (Arabian) horses and trained in
Western riding. They are well groomed, in great shape and perfectly
suited for horseback vacations. We match you with a horse and tack
according to the information you provide when signing up for a riding
holiday. For riders with greater riding proficiency, we can provide a
more spirited horse; for less experienced riders, we pair horses that
are easily handled. Also, upon request, pure Arabians from our breeding
program, Sirin Arabians, can be provided.

Tack...Quality Western tack for comfort and ease. In
general, we use Western tack made in the USA. In our experience with
trail riding vacations, riders who are used to English tack quickly
adapt to riding Western style. Nevertheless, we can arrange for English
tack if given notice ahead of time. If you would prefer to use your own
tack, this is possible only if it fits the horse we have assigned you.
You are welcome to bring your own tack but we cannot guarantee you will
be able to use it.

Riding Level...The overall success of a
horseback holiday depends on all riders having the skills to safely
perform at the pace expected. Riders with insufficient skills are a
danger to themselves and to others. As a result, it is crucial that you
be experienced and fit enough to ride 30-40 km (18-25 miles) a day. On
our part, we make every effort to clearly explain to people inquiring
into our horseback riding vacation packages the riding difficulty of
each tour. These horseback vacations are designed for riders with a good intermediate riding skills. During the trips we walk, trot and canter.

Safety...Safety
is of utmost importance on all our horseback vacations.Your safety
is always a top priority. Our staff is comprised of trained
professionals who are certified trail riding guides. We know the land
and the trails, having chosen them for their suitability for these types
of riding holidays. Also, before every trip, our guides make a run
through to ensure the trails are safe. We use only quality, highly
trained horses. We know each of our horses well and are able to expertly
match horse and rider.It can get very hot in Israel, especially in
the summer and in the desert. We have strict rules regarding weather
conditions, including never riding in temperatures over 90°F (32°C). In
addition, there is always a first aid kit.Security...Despite
what appears in the media, Israel is generally a safe and easy country
to travel in. Both Jordan and Egypt are committed to peace, and on-going
talks with Syria have made this area relatively stable and quite
favorable to tourism. All of our equestrian vacations are conducted in
secure areas of Israel with guides well versed in handling security
situations.

There are no special precautions required for travel to Israel, but insect protection from August to November is recommended due to the prevalence of West Nile virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. A Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended as well as a tetanus vaccine. Bird flu has been discovered in Gaza as well as in a number of towns in Israel. The risk to travelers is very low, but close contact with live birds should be avoided, and all egg and poultry dishes should be well cooked as a precaution. Medical facilities are excellent but treatment can be very expensive so it is essential that travelers take out full insurance.

This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not
take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult
the embassy or consulate for updated info.